Wire-fence machine



no Model.) '2 Shets-Sheet 1.

- H. BROWN.

WIRE FENOE'MAGHINB. No. 505,812. Patented Oct. 3, 1 893.

ATTORNE-Y WIRE FENCE MACHINE.

No. 505,812. Patented Oct. 3, 1893.

WITNESSES:

' ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARVEY BROWN, OF BRANDT, OHIO.

WIRE-FENCE MACHINE.

dPEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 505,812, dated October 3, 1893.

Application filed June 17, 1893. Serial No. 477,891. (No model) To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HARVEY BROWN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brandt, in the county of Miami and State of Ohio,

have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Fence-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in machines for making fences, and it especially [0 relates to that class of machines adapted to form a fence in the position which it is to occupy when completed.

My invention consists in the various constructions and combinations of parts hereinafter described and pointed out in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a side elevation view of a device embodying my invention, showing a portion of a fence completed thereby. Fig. 2 is a transverse .20 sectional view of the machine, showing one of the twisting devices and the mechanism for communicating motion thereto. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the device, with a portion of the twisting mechanism removed.

Fig. 4 is a detail view, showing the base of the machine and the means for adjusting it to different angles, to compensate for irregularities in the ground over which the fence is to be built. Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views of the twisting heads.

Like parts are represented by similar letters of reference in the several views.

In the said drawings a 60 represent the main frame, which consists essentially of the base a, and upright pieces a securedthereto.

These upright pieces 60 are connected together at the top by a cross bar a on which is pivoted, in any suitable manner, a vibrating lever 12.

Arranged in the main frame a a, and between the upright pieces a", a is a movable auxiliary frame b, which consists essentially of two bars b 19 connected at. the top and bottom by cleats b, 12 which form bearing 5 supports for sprocket wheels b if; said cleats being also preferably extended at each end beyond the bars 6 17 so as to embrace the upright pieces a d of the main frame,

and thus form guides or ways on which the auxiliary frame I), is adapted to reciprocate.

Additional retaining pieces 5 are also preferably provided on the main frame and adapted to project inwardly from the upright pieces a so as to lie adjacent to the sides of the bars b b and prevent lateral movement of said bars. The vibrating lever 19, is attached by a link connection 12 to the auxiliary frame I), so that a movement of said lever about its pivotal center produces a reciprocating movement of said frame; The bars b b which form the auxiliary frame I), are connected together at the ends only so that a slotted opening b is formed the entire length of the auxiliary frame between the cleats b b At suitable intervals throughout the length of the said auxiliary frame the bars b 12 are formed with concave depressions b, which depressions in the respective bars stand opposite to each other and form bearings for the twisting heads 0. These twisting heads 0, each consist essentially of a sprocket gear 0', collar or shoulder 0 and a journal 0 said journal being located between the sprocket wheel and collar, and being of a length equal to the thickness of the bars b b and of a sufficient diameter to be supported by and turn in the bearings formed by the depressions b These twisting heads 0, are further provided with radial slotted openings 0 0 which extend from opposite sides thereof to a point near the center; said openings passing through the sprocket wheels, collar and journal, all of which parts are preferably formed integral. A small opening 0 is also provided which passes longitudinally through the ends of the twisting heads a and their- 7 journal in a different plane from that of the slotted openings. The twisting heads, 0, when formed with their parts integral, as described, are adapted to be placed in the intermediate 0 frame between the bars b b before said bars are connected together by the cleats b so that when the parts are assembled the twisting heads are held firmly against lateral movement by the said bars which rest between the collar 0 and the shoulders of the sprocket wheels 0. The sprocket wheels are connected one to the other by means of a chain (1, which passes over the sprocket wheels b W, at the bottom and top respectively, of the intermediate frame, to which motion is transmitted by means of a crank 6, connected the vertical support.

to a shaft 6, adapted to turn in a bearing e which is supported from one of the bars 11 of the intermediate f raine, and is provided with a beveled gear a, adapted to mesh with a similar gear a, constructed on the end of the collar 0 of one of the twisting heads 0.

The operation of the device as thus far described is as follows: Longitudinal wires f, are first stretched in the position which the fence is to occupy when completed,any suitable number of said wires being employed and each one adapted to extend through one of the slotted openings 0 0 in the respective twisting heads 0. A binding wire f, is then attached to any convenient point of the fence and is passed through the small openingc, in the twisting head. The heads are then uniformly and simultaneously revolved by turning the crank or handle 6, which, through the medium of the shaft 6, and the beveled gears e e imparts motion to one of the twisting heads which is connected to all the other twisting heads by the sprocket "wheels and chain, as described. The heads are thus uniformly and simultaneously revolved and carry the respective binding wires f, around the longitudinal wires f. That portionof the binding wires f, which passes through the twisting heads may be supported on any' suitable device, preferably with some form of tension to keep the wire straight-and 'to prevent slack. When the binding wire is twisted sufficiently, the vibrating lever b, is

moved so as to carry the intermediate frame ortion of the'bindin 'wire which is in front of the twisting heads and which was before twisted, will be untwisted. An upright support f is preferably employed at the point where the binding wire is twisted about the longitudinal wire, and the binding wire twisted in opposite directions on each side of said vertical support; the same number of turns being given to the'twisting heads'so as to produce an equal number of coils of wire about the longitudinal wire on each side of In this way the binding 'wire which is in front of the twisting heads is always in the normal position and straight when the heads are shifted from one "joined together at suitable intervals by the binding or stay wires, each of which binds the adjacent longitudinal wires together, thus firmly tying all the longitudinal wires together, so as to prevent any displacement of one with reference to the other.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim- 1. In afence machine, a suitable frame, and an auxiliary sliding frame therein, bearings in said sliding frame, and twisting heads secured in said bearings, slotted openings on opposite sides of said twisting heads, and a slotted opening through said auxiliary frame between the adjacent twisting heads, and

means for uniformly and simultaneously revolving said twisting heads, and means, substantially as described, for holding the binding wire to cause it to be revolved with said twisting heads, substantially as specified.

2. The combination with the main frame, of the auxiliary frame consisting of the parallel pieces joined together, as described, a Vibrating lever for producing a vertical movement of said auxiliary frame, twisting heads in said auxiliary frame having'oppositely arranged slotted openings, a perforation through said twisting heads adjacent to said slotted openings, sprocket wheels on each side of said twisting heads, and a sprocket'chainconnecting all of the twistingheads to cause themto revolve uniformly and simultaneously, substantially as specified.

3. The combination with the main frame and the auxiliary sliding frame,said'auxiliary sliding frame being formed of parallel pieces, joinedtogether at the ends, as described, and provided with -concave depressions to'form bearings,as described, twisting heads each consisting of a gear wheel, a trunnionand a collar 'orshoulder at the end of said trunnion, and each provided with slotted and bottom with stationary sprocket wheels, a vibrating lever connected'to said auxiliary frame, each of said twisting'heads being'provided with slotted openings on opposite sides thereof, and a perforation in a different plane from said slot-ted openings, and a "chain adapted to engage each of said twisting heads and to pass over said stationary sprocket wheels, substantially as specified.

5."The combination with the main frame and the auxiliary frame adapted to reciprocate therein, said auxiliary frame being provided with a series of twistingheads, each having a sprocket wheel thereon, separate sprocket wheels secured to the top and bottom'of'said auxiliary frame, and a chain ICO passing over said sprocket wheels and adaptperforation in each of said twisting heads in ed to engage each of the sprocket wheels on a different plane from said slotted opening, 10 said twisting heads, a shaft supported in a substantially as specified.

bearing on said auxiliary frame and connected by suitable gearing to one of said twisting HARVEY BROWN heads, and means for revolving said shaft In presence of diametrically opposite slotted openings in OLIVER H. MILLER,

each of said twisting heads, and a separate FRANK WATT. 

